– five-year public awareness and education campaign underway
NINETEEN Magistrates from the Guyana Judiciary yesterday concluded a specialized workshop on the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act 2010 which was signed into law by President Bharrat Jagdeo on May 24 last.
The two-day workshop, held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, is part of a broader education and public awareness campaign. The campaign is being executed by Tagman Media Inc for the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security with support and funding from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).
It entails the implementation of various programmes targeting children, teachers, parents/guardians, the Judiciary and police force, NGOs, victims of sexual offences, media practitioners, as well as convicted perpetrators.
Education in schools will commence during this school term through the implementation of a TELL Scheme in primary, and subsequently secondary schools.
The Tell Scheme is geared towards raising awareness among students and teachers as well as providing mechanisms for students to disclose instances of sexual offences, and the proper handling of such information by those whom they tell.
Other elements of the campaign, which will be implemented over a five-year period, will see the establishment of White Zones (a safe haven for victims to seek assistance) countrywide. Public awareness and education-based programmes will also be implemented throughout the Ten Administrative Regions. These initiatives are being designed to empower and educate victims, potential victims, as well as members of the public on their protections, provisions, and responsibilities under the Sexual Offences Act 2010.
The facilitator for the magistrates’ workshop was Justice Gillian Lucky, Judge of the High Court of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Justice Lucky is the holder of a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of the West Indies and was awarded the Legal Education Certificate from Hugh Wooding Law School.
From 1993 to 2000, she served as a Senior State Counsel attached to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions in Trinidad and currently serves as a High Court Judge (Ag.) in the twin island republic.
Justice Lucky is also a former Member of Parliament, Government Senator and Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs. In areas of training, Justice Lucky is Principal, Director of Academic studies and Lecturer at the Academy of Tertiary Studies (ATS) and Course Director – Evidence, Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS).